RPSC paper leak row: India registers at least 4 major paper leak cases in 2024 alone, here’s a timeline
India registered at least 4 paper leak cases in 2024 alone. These paper leaks were witnessed not only in entrance tests but also recruitment exams.
It is 2024, but cases of paper leaks continue to grab headlines in India. From entrance tests to recruitment examinations, the menace of question paper leaks still looms large.
In fact, at a time when the country was coming to terms with the controversy surrounding the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) UG 2024, the arrest of a former Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) official on September 1, 2024, for his alleged involvement in a paper leak Sub-Inspector Recruitment Exam 2021 has come as yet another shock.
In this article, we will look at a timeline of major paper leak cases that came to the fore in India in 2024:
February 2024: UP Police Constable Recruitment Exam 2024
It was in February that the country registered its first major paper leak case. The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had ordered the cancellation of the UP Police constable recruitment exam 2024, originally held on February 17 and 18, after candidates staged massive protests claiming that the sanctity of the exam was compromised with the question paper going viral on social media hours before the start of the exam. Candidates alleged that the paper was available between ₹50,000 and ₹2 lakh. They claimed that many candidates had it 8-12 hours before the commencement of the exam. According to officials, as many as 244 people were arrested for ‘fraudulent activities’ during the recruitment exam.
The re-examination was conducted from August 23 to August 31, 2024.
Also read: SLRC Assam grade 3 admit card for HSSLC or 12th level posts out on sebaonline.org, direct link here
May 2024: NEET UG 2024
When we talk about paper leaks in 2024, the NEET UG Paper Leak row continues to take a significant position in the list. The medical entrance examination which was conducted on May 5, was embroiled in a spade of controversy over an alleged paper leak case and a consequent outrage over the “inflation of marks” of 1,563 students who were compensated for the loss of time. Students from at least six centers in states, including Meghalaya, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Surat, and Chandigarh, had complained about the loss of time during exams.
The results announced on June 4, 2024, triggered a massive uproar, with several aspirants and parents taking to the streets demanding a probe and seeking a “re-exam”, alleging that the paper was leaked at certain centers where students got high scores. Opposition parties too came down heavily on the BJP-led Central Government for its alleged failure to maintain the sanctity of crucial examinations.
Also read: AYUSH NEET UG 2024 Counselling: Round 1 registration ends today at aaccc.gov.in, direct link here
Consequently, after a series of court proceedings and arrests, it was established that the paper was indeed leaked. The Supreme Court had also directed the NTA to follow the IIT Delhi’s recommendation on a controversial Physics question of the NEET UG exam and re-tally the results.
The revised results released on July 26 showed the number of toppers dropping to 17 from 61. As per the NTA, the total number of candidates who passed the exam stood at 13,15,853.
June 2024: UGC NET 2024
The UGC NET 2024 examination, which was originally conducted on June 18, was cancelled by the Ministry of Education the next day, that is on June 19, following intelligence inputs that the integrity of the exam might have been compromised. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan later revealed that the paper was leaked on the darknet and circulated on Telegram.
A statement issued by the ministry stated that to uphold transparency and the sanctity of the examination process, the ministry decided to cancel the exam and initiate a fresh examination cycle.
Also read: RSMSSB Rajasthan 12th level CET registration begins today at rsmssb.rajasthan.gov.in
Notably, the re-examination of UGC NET 2024 began on August 21 and will end on September 4, 2024.
September 2024: RPSC EX-OFFICER, CHILDREN ARRESTED
On September 1, Rajasthan police's special operations group (SOG) arrested Ramu Ram Raika, a former member of the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) for allegedly giving his two children a leaked question paper of the sub-inspector recruitment exam 2021.
It may be mentioned here that the alleged leak came to light in March after the Rajasthan police busted the sub-inspector and platoon commander recruitment exam of 2021. A TOI report informed that 38 people have been arrested in the case so far.
It was also learned that Raika's children had performed brilliantly in the exam. His daughter Shobha ranked fifth, while his son Devesh ranked 40th. Both were undergoing training at the Rajasthan Police Academy. Apart from the two, three other trainee sub-inspectors identified as Manju Devi, Avinash Palsania, and Vijendra Kumar were arrested, the TOI report added.
